Welcome to our guide to all of the family-friendly, fun, and festive events happening on the First Coast this holiday season! This is your one-stop spot for all of the best tree lighting ceremonies, Santa visits, gingerbread house-making events, Christmas light displays, boat parades, and holiday shows. Be sure to check back throughout the season for updated holiday events!
Holiday Activities for Families in Jacksonville
Where to See Santa
Check out our list of Santa events from breakfast with Santa to story time tea, and everything in between!
Holiday Light Displays and Tree Lightings
Starting early in November and up until Christmas, there’s sure to be a tree lighting event to amaze the whole family.
Holiday Shopping In & Around Jacksonville
We are so lucky that Jacksonville offers so many amazing shopping events during the holiday season!
Family-Friendly Holiday Events in Jacksonville
Get ready to make some holiday-inspired crafts, celebrate with Santa, and check out some amazing gingerbread houses!
Holiday & Boat Parades
Jacksonville and the surrounding areas not only have a variety of traditional parades, but it also has boat parades!
Tree Farms In and Around Jax
True story! Even here in Florida, there are farms where you can pick your very own Christmas tree, and cut it down yourself, too!
Cruising for Christmas Lights
Pack the family in the car and drive around Jacksonville to hit the best decorated and festively lit neighborhoods!
ShopJax: A Local Shopping Guide
No time to visit a market? Support one of these awesome local businesses for all of your holiday shopping needs!
Adults Only Holiday Events
Time for a parents’ night out! Grab your honey or bestie and celebrate the holidays with one of these adults only events.
Holiday Shows In & Around Jacksonville
We have an incredible list of holiday shows, including several Nutcracker options and theatre performances in Jacksonville!
More on the Holidays in Jacksonville
Let us help you make this holiday season the merriest yet with our exclusive access to all of Jacksonville’s best Christmas and holiday events. Check out the First Coast’s best Christmas lights displays, tree lightings and all the best places to go see Santa. Plus, if you need childcare over the holiday break, we’ve created a guide to the best winter break camps in Jacksonville.
Upcoming Holiday Events
Holiday Lightings
Family-Friendly Events
Start a New Holiday Tradition: The Giving Plate
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Finding Connection in the Chaos: The Christmas Truce of 1914
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Making Christmas Magic As a Co-Parenting Mom
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Never Too Early To Start: Building Holiday Traditions With Littles
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A Lot of Chatter From the Bottom of the Ladder
Want to test if a marriage will survive? Attempt to put up outdoor Christmas lights together. Nothing will try your patience more than arguing over the placement of light strands while balancing on...
‘Tis the Season for Sustainability
The other night, my oldest child and I sat down to watch a Netflix documentary called Buy Now: The Shopping Conspiracy about the hidden costs of “fast fashion” and rapidly produced electronics....
The Christmas Experience at Ancient City Farmstead: Everything You Need to Know
Thank you to The Christmas Experience at Ancient City Farmstead for sponsoring this post and providing holiday magic for families throughout the First Coast! ‘Tis the season to be merry! Trust...
Gift Guide for Your Dad (Who Doesn’t Want Anything)
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Donuts with Santa, Featuring Russ Bratcher Photography
Kick off the holiday season with a sweet treat and a memorable moment with Santa! We are excited to partner with Russ Bratcher Photography for our annual Donuts with Santa event: Date: Friday,...
Community Nutcracker: A Magical Holiday Tradition That Gives Back
If you’re looking for some Christmas magic, a special event for children to attend, and a way to give back during the holiday season, look no further than the Community Nutcracker! For two years my...
Add Your Holiday Event to Our Calendar
Are you a local business in the Jacksonville area? Do you have a holiday event you want to add to our calendar? Follow the link to submit your event.
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Please consider adding Mandarin’s Christmas tree lighting to the list!
Are you ready to make Mandarin more merry this Friday evening? 🎄
Join us as we “Light Up Mandarin” at the Historic Mandarin Community Club, where our Community’s Official Christmas Tree will be illuminated with over 2,000 lights – topped with our signature Mandarin Orange. 🍊
Mandarinites can enjoy food and hot chocolate, musical performances, and a visit from Santa 🎅🏼
Our club table will be open! Please stop by and grab some Mandarin holiday gifts for you or your loved one. While your there, you can support our Luminary Kit fundraiser so your neighborhood can Light Up Mandarin, too! 🕯Oh, and did we mention we are always welcoming new members to join this nearly 100-year-old institution? Grab a membership form while you’re there! 🍊
See the article here:
https://www.floridanewsline.com/mandarin/mandarin-community-club-tree-lighting-kicks-off-the-holiday-season/
#christmas2021 #treelighting #mandarin